Son's struggles with dyslexia inspire mom to make a difference

Diane Reott tirelessly worked to teach her son Matthew the word “the” when he was in first grade. By second grade, Matthew still struggled with the alphabet.

One day, he informed his mother that he was the stupidest child in his first-grade class.

“When you hear a six-year-old say that to you, it still makes me want to cry,” said Reott, of Newtown Township.

Matthew, who is now 18, has dyslexia, a neurological learning disability that affects a person’s ability to read.

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Individuals with dyslexia read at lower levels than expected, despite having a normal level of intelligence, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. They commonly experience difficulty with the manipulation of sounds, spelling and rapid visual/verbal responses.

“It really is neurological in origin,” Reott said. “It’s a difference in your brain. The connectors don’t connect (like they do) in what you would call a normal brain. These kids need to be taught differently.”

Seeking to improve the education for children with dyslexia, Reott helped form the Pennsylvania Dyslexia and Literacy Coalition about 18 months ago. The organization worked closely with state Rep. Ed Neilson, D-169, of Philadelphia and state Sen. Mike Folmer, R-48, of Lebanon County, to craft legislation providing early screening for risk factors associated with reading deficiencies and dyslexia.

The legislation, House Bill 198, was passed unanimously by both legislative chambers and signed into law Thursday by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett.

“We were thrilled,” Reott said. “When he signed it, it was another win for the kids. We just want people to be aware that it does exist.”

The law establishes a three-year pilot program that will operate in three yet-to-be-named school districts. All kindergarten students will be screened for risk factors tied to reading deficiencies or dyslexia. Students will be screened at the beginning, midpoint and end of the school year. The goal is to recognize dyslexia in students before they get too far behind.

At the conclusion of the pilot program, the state education secretary will submit to the General Assembly a program evaluation recommending changes or expansion.

Neilson, who has a son with dyslexia, championed the legislation.

“This program will allow us to better identify children in need of extra assistance and attention,” Neilson said in a statement. “It has the potential to provide us with a model for other special education efforts that can produce better outcomes at a lower cost.”

One or two children in each classroom is believed to have dyslexia. Children with dyslexia often struggle to pronounce words, rhyme and match letters with sounds.

Reott said her coalition advocates for teachers to be trained specifically to teach children with dyslexia, who require different techniques to learn. Many of the techniques also are effective in teaching others struggling to read, she said.

“These kids can learn to read,” Reott said. “It’s the cog in the wheel for literacy. If you use what we know for this, really the net is so big to get all those other kids.”

About the Author

John Kopp is a reporter for the Delaware County Daily Times, who covers state and county politics. Follow him on Twitter @DT_JohnKopp Reach the author at jkopp@delcotimes.com
or follow John on Twitter: @DT_JohnKopp.